First Time Question (Can I Never Run My Pump)

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P00L_N00B

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Aug 23, 2016
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Portland, OR
Hello Pool Experts,

I'm new to Trouble Free Pool and to owning a pool.

I bought a home in February in Oregon and am using the BBB method.

I have read that you must run your pump 8 hour a day, but instead I manually vacuum 2-3 times a week. I also shock the pool with 1 gallon of Bleach a week. This is all I do.

My Question is if it's ok to never run the pool pump, is there any reason to leave the pump running if my tests are all in range and the pool is blue?

Thanks everyone in advance!​


Inground 23K gallon pool with vinyl liner, 30ft x 15ft
Hayward Pump & Hayward Cartridge Filter

​
 
Yeah, every pool gets dirty and you need to filter out the dirt and debris. The pump is the most effective way to do that.

The way we suggest calculating run time is through practical observation. Run it 8 hours daily and if your pool is very clean, cut it back to 6 hours. Keep cutting it back until the pool starts to look dirty then bump it back up a notch.

Personally, I would not suggest ANYBODY run their pools less than 4 hours daily. You need circulation and you need filtering in every single pool.

On top of that, vacuuming and brushing as needed will keep your pool pristine.

PS - Do you ever test your water??
 
Hey Duraleigh,

Thanks so much for your help. I understand that you need to run the pool pump with filter, but why if the pool testing is perfect?

Here are the readings:
Total Hardness: 250
Total Chlorine: 3
Free Chlorine: 3
pH: 7.2
Total Alkalinity: 120
Stabilizer: 100

I'm just confused on the "why" if the water is blue and the tests are perfect.

Here has been my routine..

Vac 2-3 times a week.
Shock 1 time a week with 1 gallon of liquid bleach. Leave Pump on for 2 hours.

Thats it. I don't do anything more and the water has been perfect along with testing, the pH comes down mid week to about 6.8 then back up to 7.2-7.4 after the bleach is added.
 
For some they get so much tree debris falling, they have to run the pump longer to keep the surface skimmed and clean.

Also if you have a salt water chlorine generator then you MUST run the pump long enough for it's daily dose of chlorine to be made.

Do you cover your pool?

I use a bubble cover on mine every day of the week, but might take it off after work for a swim. on saturday/sunday I take it off
early in the morning.

It stays clean running the pump only 2 hours per day during the week but on weekends I run it 4-6 hours to keep the surface free
of debris & filter the water more. I also vac on saturday morning and might do it during the week if there is buildup on the floor.

My water is crystal clear. But I do test with a TF100 at least every other day in the summer.


It's kind of amazing that you have not had an algae problem with CYA (stabilizer) of 100 (could be over 100 when it tests at 100 btw) and FC of 3.
But maybe those test results are not accurate. How are you testing? Pool stores are usually way off.
 
So... you throw in a gallon of bleach a week. Is that too little or too much? How do you know? What is your CYA level? If you can't answer these questions then your not really using the BBB method.

:testresults:

Edit.. I'm a slooow typer so I just now saw your test results. With a CYA of 100 your FC is less than half of what it should be. Maybe algae just does not grow that far north.. ;)

Jim R.
 
I just had my pump go out for a month. I had no problems maintaining perfect chemistry, I used the kids to mix it all up. I made a thread about it in The Deep End. I'm used to the water clarity that comes with a DE filter and after a month had tons of tiny floating debris that couldn't get vacumned out. After I got the pump replaced I had to clean my filter three times, not from debris that you could see in daylight, stuff only visible at nightime. I see no reason you can't limit your pump run time to what you've specified it's just all about your tolerance for tiny debris.

Also there is no reason to shock unless you are not maintaining your chlorine at the appropriate levels.
 
I understand that you need to run the pool pump with filter, but why if the pool testing is perfect?
Click to expand...
I'll try it one more time. There is no test for dirt. Is it your intent to let whatever debris falls into your pool to remain there?

If you really question the functions of a pump, shut it off for a few months and tell us how that works out. I don't mean to be snarky but I am having trouble understanding what you are thinking.
 

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Absolutely no way throwing a gallon in once a week and vacuuming a couple times can be "all you do"

Your free chlorine would be at zero within 2 days, unlikely it would survive the next 5 with zero chlorine. With cya at 100 that gallon only gets you half way to your minimum off 7 ppm. Shock level would be 29 ppm so you are not even getting close to "shocking" your pool.
 
chipchip said:
A gallon of bleach wouldn't last a day in that pool. Something seems off.
Click to expand...
Agreed. It's seems quite improbable that the pool has been operated on one gallon of chlorine per week for the last 6 months.

Even the test results seem more like "pool $tore recommended" levels, and are far from TFP 'perfect'.
 
Hello Everyone,

Thanks so much for taking the time to help with my question. As a brand new pool owner it's nice to get the help. For you thinking I'm trolling here, let me be clear I'M 100% REAL AND NEED HELP.

So It seems like running the pump just for an hour or two once a week is ok, as long as everything is in range. I check the pool once a week and everything is in perfect range.

Could it be possible that by NOT running my pump and filter it makes the liquid chlorine last longer? The "Unfiltered Pool" asks as a UV ray blocker from the sun? Just trying to find out why this method is working for me and everyone else runs it 8 hours a day.
 
A couple of questions:

How are you getting your perfect numbers? Do you have a test kit, or is the pool store testing them for you?
If you don't run the pump, what is your method for getting rid of leaves, dead bugs, dust, pollen, etc.?

- - - Updated - - -

Also, can you post a few photos of your pool, showing the bottom, steps, etc.?
 

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